I think I want to live in Mexico…..

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Mexico offers a great balance of centuries-old traditions and modern lifestyle. Acquiring a resident Visa is very simple and easy. What is ideal is the idea that there are innumerable amenities, and discounts offered to retirees. Further, Mexico is “closer to home” than any other popular retirement haven, such as Costa Rica and Panama for example.

Loosely translated, Mexico Life offer the comforts you are used to north of the border: high-speed internet and wireless, digital television and satellite television, and very upscale modern home appliances. If you “can’t live without it” when you move to Mexico, you can even bring all your favorite things with you without paying import taxes one time.

Living in Mexico offers affordability in that goods and services are less expensive, allowing you the affordability of such luxuries only the wealthy enjoy up north: a maid, a cook, and a gardener, for example. So it’s really about your dream and vision of the  retirement with considerations for  shopping, fishing, sunbathing, golf, diving, , parasailing, collecting crafts, visiting archeological sites, biking, mountain climbing,partying, going to concerts, attending the theater, or fine dining.  It’s abundant throughout Mexico and each area of the country offers something unique and inviting.

With geographic diversity you will find beautiful, warm oceans, crystal-clear tropical lakes, farmlands, majestic mountains,  gorgeous deserts, small towns or sophisticated cities. My own parents live in Mazatlan (Mazatlan Real Estate), attend theater, play golf, dine with friends, sail and sunbathe. It’s absolute paradise.   I have other friends who live in the place where earth, sea and sky meet, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (Cabo Real Estate), where they enjoy premier golf, gourmet international dining, and fishing. 3 hours away, they can take part in eco tourism by visiting the pride of La Paz, the brand new Marine Laboratory, brought to Mexico and partially funded by France and the Jacques-Yves Cousteau Society. The climate diversity allows a lifestyle in warm and dry climates or warm and tropical climates….a little more humid.

The Real Estate market offers unlimited possibility. You can find opulence and luxury in multimillion dollar homes in areas such as Cabo San Lucas in neighborhoods such as “Pedregal” and “Querencia” and “El Dorado” or a reasonable if not luxury appointed condominium in Mazatlan ($200,000).  Puerto Vallarta offers stellar villas for retirement in close proximity to the beach for a song ($200,000), and within the artisan communities of San Miguel de Allende you can find a modest and comfortable home for much less than in the U.S. (2600 square feet, $229,000).

Since my early career days in relocation, I have been asked over and over again, how to go about MOVING to MEXICO in order to live and retire there. Baby boomers by and large, are on a mass exodus out of the states to live in Mexico for a number of reasons.

Healthcare, Climate, Cost of Living, Culture, the list goes on and on…..and frankly I don’t blame them.  Given a choice, in a perfect world, I too, would be inclined to pack it up and move south of the border. What beats living on the beach like the fortunate few at an affordable price???

So, what is involved and how do you go about doing it?

First step is to determine how long and for what purpose you want to live in Mexico. There are a few different types of Visas available, for the purpose of this blog however, I will refine the variations and expound on the “General” Visa, the FM3

An FM3 is a legal permit, issued by the Mexican consulate, to live and work in Mexico. With an FM3 you are permitted to import used household goods from the US without incurring a duty at the border. Obtaining an FM3 entails legal processes and documentation that ultimately must be arranged by you.

FM3 Requirements:

1. VALID PASSPORT AND ONE PHOTOCOPY.
Passport must have at least 6 months of validity remaining. If person is a legal resident of U.S., a copy of the front and back of the alien registration card is also required.

2. LETTER FROM THE BANK that proves a minimum monthly deposit of One Thousand ($1,000) dollars per dependent.
   OR
COPIES OF YOUR BANK STATEMENTS for the last 6 months that proves your monthly deposit covers the amount stated above.

3. TWO (2) PASSPORT FRONT VIEW PHOTOS
no automatic machine photos will be accepted.

4. COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM

5. FEES : 
Roughly $150.00 dollars (U.S.) paid in cash only – no money orders, company, personal or cashier’s check will be accepted.

MOVING HOUSEHOLD GOODS:

After obtaining your Visa, you can import used household goods and personal effects in quantities which would be considered normal for the number of family members in your household. This is based on cubic measure and total weight of the household goods.  The Mexican Consulate requires a “permit” known as  a Menaje de Casa. This is an itemized form, properly formatted and translated of all of your household goods. According to Mexico Law, you MUST import your household goods within six months of obtaining your Visa.

I get the question of the requirement for the Customs Agent frequently. It is simple.You do not have to hire a customs agent unless you exceed the value of goods that you are allowed to bring into Mexico.  Take note, the value is not indicative of the weight.  They are two very different issues.

Regardless of how you do it, on your own, or using a carrier, you MUST have a notaries ‘menaje de casa’ and you are allowed a  one time household goods exemption from import duties.

If you have chosen a professional forwarding company or moving company to handle your move, a Customs Agent is always retained, and included in the costs of the move from the carrier. It is assumed you have a declaration of high value household goods accumulative, thus the reason for the agent retainer.

Household goods are tax-free with FM2 or FM3 status. New and business related items are charged a 17% to 27% importation tax based on the value of your goods.  Motorized transportation such as motorcycles and scooters are charged a $150 broker fee plus a 27% importation tax

Mexico still uses the all-purpose “RED LIGHT-GREEN LIGHT” method. In other words, upon crossing the border you are subject to the kiosk that you push. If the red light appears, you are inspected, and if the green light appears, you are waved through. It’s not rocket science, and I am not sure if it really is random, but it keeps everyone relatively in check.

If you are driving you automobile or an RV, it MUST belong to you, free of liens or loans. American auto insurance is no longer valid once you cross the border, and you first stop should be with a “SEGURANZA” office. INSURANCE for Mexican Automobile Insurance.

If for any reason you are stopped, and you do not have the insurance, you will be returned without mercy, to the border, to obtain the insurance.

It’s not a risk worth taking, so I suggest you just do it upon entry.

If you are inclined to think about giving up all of your household goods, and start fresh (every woman’s shopping dream), I would recommend only one thing. Beds in Mexico are built small. It’s a fact. Additionally, they are hard, like sleeping on a plank. So if you are attached to that Tempurpedic, or love your California King Pillow Top, MOVE IT. You cannot replace it in Mexico with what you have in the states. Personally, I could not live without my bed.   I would sooner give up anything else.

Furniture is made remarkably well in Mexico. A favorite for this blogger, CRATE INTERIORS.  Found in some of the most luxurious and prestigious resorts and hotels in the United States and Mexico, and now making its way into some of the most opulent homes and villas  in Mexico, Crate offers affordable, luxury lifestyle, elegant and resilient furniture on the market. They will deliver this to you anywhere you want it to go in Mexico and it is all very well made and stylish. A complete turnkey furnishing for your home averages $50,000.00 U.S.  Bare in mind, this is for a larger home budget,

So, if you are thinking about it, DO IT. You live once.

Riviera Nayarit….a place you hadn’t thought of?

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bucerias, jack nicholas golf, la cruz, la pancha, loscabos, mazatlan, mega hotels, mexico boutique hotels, mexico surfing, puerto bahias, puerto vallarta, punta mita, rovia travel, sayulita, spa, villa, world class golf

 

They refer to it as “Mexico’s newest Pacific Coast Vacation Destination”, and yet it’s always been there. The Riviera Nayarit….

Now if you ask anyone you know about travel and Mexico and they will invariably tell you a story of remembering a lazy beach before there were hotels on it, or upscale villas perched atop cliffs.  Ask about Los Cabos, and someone will say that just 5 or 6 years ago, there was one road in, and one road out, a couple of golf courses and a few hotels, that were sprinkled between San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.  Now, there is a plethora of hotels, resorts, growing condominium communities and neighborhoods abundant of luxury villas. Big box invaded, a Walmart and a Costco, and if you aren’t into Mexican food, you can snack on your beloved Big Mac from the infamous golden arches.

Ask someone else about travel to Cancun, or the Yucatan, and they will recall a smidgen of resorts, and the name “Club Med”, and will regale you with tales of endless white sandy beach, and untouched paradise.  Now Cancun is full of upscale resorts, familiar branding like Applebee’s and Chili’s and is a Spring Break Paradise with over 75,000 rooms to fill in hotels alone.

Mazatlan, offering 11 miles of beach, and just a few Mexico based hotel groups, such as El Cid, and Pueblo Bonito, is building out on modern travel demands, such as Sushi bars and upscale eateries and café’s.  Hotels are seeing plans of renovation and improvement and the destination is growing in numbers of visitors, and retirement communities built on Snowbirds from Canada and US citizens from cold climates like Minnesota seeking a warmer lifestyle in a paradise-like destination.

As we become more savvy and sophisticated as a race, we seek the biggest bang for our buck. We look for all of the details in luxury travel, wanting to do it in style like a rock star, on the slimmest dollar we can come up with. We seek inexpensive airfare, cost efficient accommodations with all the elements of luxury, and appointments, service beyond expectation, and we want to get there in the shortest possible time expended. Who wants to spend an entire vacation day in travel with layovers, and connections?

Riviera Nayarit is finding her place on the map in style. Lesser known, and still somewhat untouched, she sits on the Pacific Coast and is easily accessible by air, through the closest airport in Puerto Vallarta.

Beginning in Nueva Vallarta, in an entirely different state than that of Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit takes you down the coast as far as San Blas and each beach destination in between carries with it, its own charm, characteristics and draw to the traveler.

Riviera Nayarit enters into 2010 with high honors from some of the world’s leading destination experts. This part of Mexico’s coastline is valued for romantic settings and those “hideaway vacations”, as well as second income homes and retirement homes for those seeking the life of Paradise and Sun year round.

“Every year, the many facets of Riviera Nayarit – from its incomparable hotels and resorts, to its spectacular romantic settings and, above all, its outstanding value – are discovered and honored by more and more publications, organizations and travel experts,” said Marc Murphy, Director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are delighted to be ranked in the company of the world’s leading vacation destinations.”

SO! What are you going to find if you travel to the Riviera Nayarit?

Punta Mita, the celebrities and who’s who of Hollywood flock to this destination where their own multimillion dollar properties sit oceanfront. This destination includes two Jack Nicholas Golf Courses, Oceanfront Villa Rental homes, Luxury condos to rent, tempting world class culinary delights, a premier Four Seasons Resort, or the St Regis, which sits on 22 acres of an isthmus.

If yachting and boats are your thing, La Cruz is the place to go. Boasting Mexico’s newest and most spectacular Marina, built to the tune of $250 million, you can find yourself sitting ocean front and dining on some of the freshest seafood, all the while watching those beauties grace the waters as they come and go. Puerto Bahias is a master planned Villa and Spa community, partnered with REMAX for second income homes as well as retirement in this area and they offer the very best real estate opportunity in Mexico. Luxury and affordability meet right here in Paradise.(www.puertobahias.com)

            With less tourist traffic and more local flavor, north of P.V is Bucerias. Royal Decamaron, a “mega resort” is here. Although it can be viewed as a bit of an albatross, it is in fact well planned and integrated into the community, making it less obtrusive and less of a distraction of the local ambiance. If the major resort is not your style, options for smaller boutique hotels and B&B’s are abundant. With many expats living and working in this little beach community, the visitor will encounter some distinct flavors of home mixed in with the local Mexican taco stands and restaurants.

            Sayulita can be associated with Santa Cruz, California in some ways. Full of tye-dye shirts and local flavor, the town is a little bitty Pueblo many in the surf community call home. Walk the cobblestone streets and you will trip over dogs and chickens cohabitating, and kids in bare feet playing. Sit surfside and watch the swells of the Pacific while you decide if you want to try your hand with a long board, short board, body board, or no board! Sayulita is the eco-friendly destination for outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure with hiking, mountain biking, surfing, whale watching, fishing, cliff jumping or horseback riding. You can find it all here.

San Pancho is similar to feel as Sayulita but has a story that is unique and of great interest. A sleepy fishing village with some adobe/palapa type homes in the late 60’s, this town had nothing but the basics, and few modern day conveniences. In 1970 Luis Escheverria became President of Mexico and took a particular interest in the town. While in office, from 1970 to 1976, Escheverria was instrumental in building not only schools but have a prestigious United Nations post and his plan to achieve this was to have a completely self sufficient town to serve as a model for third world colonies. While there was some scandal surrounding Escheverria and he did end up leaving town, resulting in the neglect and deterioration of his own personal estate, however his philanthropic endeavors and achievements continue in full operation and under great care and pride of the locals.

Were this blogger to go on and on, I am sure I could come up with some interesting history and fascinating facts about each and every one of these beach destinations on the Riviera Nayarit, but wouldn’t it be more fun to make the discoveries for yourself, and uncover the hidden secrets and scandals and local folktales yourself in your adventure?

So check it out, this blogger found the following quote: “Each year, Hideaways uncovers new destinations that are worth getting to know, and old favorites that are worth a second look” says Mike Thiel, Founder and President of Hideaways International, Inc.  This is what Thiel had to say about the vacation destination: “Riviera Nayarit is the new moniker of one of Mexico’s lesser-known states, but, with its gorgeous Pacific coastline, tempting beaches, wildlife preserves, good air access, and easy-to-get-to location just north of Puerto Vallarta, it won’t be “lesser-known” for long. This corridor is already earning a reputation for fantastic cuisine and myriad sporting attractions.”

Here is what I can tell you, airfare couldn’t be any better than right now. Finding a phenomenal accommodation deal is ripe for the picking in this very moment. Accessibility to this gorgeous destination and lesser known locale, is not going to take you all day to get to, and from, and while still virtually untouched and full of local culture and flavor and flair, the opportunity will never be better than it is right now, in the present.  Need a Travel Agent to help you figure out your itinerary and book the vacation of a lifetime? Visit  www.travela2z.rovia.com, where there is someone always available to speak to, and where service meets excellence in the travel planning industry.

Why wouldn’t you check it out?    www.allaboutmexico.com   The website to find everything about Mexico you needed to know for your travel.